The San Diego Union-TribuneA federal office is calling for better data collection about military families struggling to keep food on the table. Current data suggests that many military members may be going hungry, but aren't using government benefits for which they qualify. READ MORE

Military Times (tiered subscription model)
Troops and veterans voting in the presidential election this fall won’t just be picking their choice for commander in chief, they’ll also be choosing which political party sets the agenda on military issues for the next four years.
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Defense OneGen. Martin E. Dempsey (ret.) writes: "We must not compromise our military's special role in democracy, nor hinder those who come after us.
The relationship between elected leaders and the military is established in the Constitution and built on trust."READ MORE

Defense NewsIn February 2017, current law requires that DoD establish a new Under Secretary for Business Management and Information. Improving execution management should be one focus for the new office.
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Center for Strategic and International Studies The BCA reinstates budget caps for a 10-year period ending in FY 2021 with separate caps for the defense and nondefense parts of the discretionary budget. For defense, the budget caps represent a reduction of roughly $1 trillion over 10 years compared to what the president had proposed in his FY 2012 budget request earlier in 2011.
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The Washington PostThe foursome hardly is a sisterhood-in-arms — they are divided ideologically, and their interactions outside of the Armed Services committee rooms are relatively infrequent, although Gabbard and McSally belong to the same morning workout group. But in a short period of time, the women have become go-to authorities in a legislative arena traditionally dominated by men — and especially male veterans. Their experience in the male-dominated military has taught them important lessons about how to survive in Washington.READ MORE

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Specific information on upcoming ALA events is posted regularly on the ALA website. To learn more about each event, please click the following links:

Meet with key industry personnel to review past and current business performances. Discuss how we continue to grow business locally, nationally and internationally. 70 local companies will showcase the taste and unique products of Hawaii.

Task & PurposePresident Barack Obama gave his final major veterans address as president at the 95th Disabled American Veterans National Convention. "I believe that our nation has a sacred covenant with our veterans — that just as you served to protect us, we have a moral obligation to take care of you and your families when you come home," he stated.READ MORE

KJZZ-FMVeterans returning home face new challenges when they get back: hassles with healthcare and benefits, adjusting to a new routine. For the last century, groups such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars have helped vets with their needs and gave them a place to feel comfortable. Membership in these groups has been dropping, though, as elderly members pass away and younger veterans choose not to join. READ MORE

Northwest MilitaryIt won't come as a surprise to anyone who has married into the military that their spouse's career has a lasting and dramatic impact on their own. Recent research by Blue Star Families, a nonprofit run by veteran and active-duty spouses, has found that only nine to 15 percent of military spouses who want to work are doing so to the degree to which they are trained. READ MORE

COMMISSARY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Commissary Web Posts

The following commissary items were posted to the ALA Website between 10 AM July 28, 2016 and 10 AM, August 4, 2016:

Defense Commissary AgencyWhile the Defense Commissary Agency's 25th birthday on Oct. 1 is fast approaching, the agency salutes the people it has had the privilege to serve for the last 25 years: the men, women and families of the military community — active duty, reserves and retirees. In August, DeCA observes the 226th birthday of the U.S. Coast Guard. Congress established the Coast Guard — at the time it was called the "Revenue Cutter Service" — on Aug. 4, 1790. READ MORE

Military Times (tiered subscription model)Commissary customers at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, are still in limbo, as base officials await a court ruling regarding groceries that were seized during a dispute between an Italian national and his former employer, the Navy Exchange Service Command.
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University of Leicester via Phys.orgAllowing customers to scan products and pay for them using their own mobile phones or iPads is becoming an increasingly common sight in retail outlets.
However, using Mobile Scan and Pay Technology to pay for supermarket products could make it easier for people to steal and reduce people's perception of legal consequence, according to a new report authored by University of Leicester criminologists.
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Richmond Times-DispatchFor the convenience, being able to order groceries online and having them ready for pickup when you get to the supermarket, cannot be beat.
Grocery chains, in this ever-so-competitive grocery marketplace, are trying to provide new and more convenient ways to attract and retain shoppers.
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Supermarket NewsMore than 80 percent of consumers in the U.S., U.K. and Canada believe the supermarket deli is a good place for healthy and delicious food, according to a new study from the Culinary Visions Panel.READ MORE

TreeHuggerThe new labeling law isn't enough; if you're looking to avoid GMOs in your diet, start here. While the new federal labeling standard for foods that have been made with genetically modified organisms — the bill was signed on July 29 by President Barack Obama — sounds like it would be helpful for consumers, it really doesn't do much good.READ MORE

Cincinnati EnquirerKroger's consumer insights firm 84.51° has acquired Market6, a predictive analytics firm with offices in Cincinnati and Chicago. Market6 focuses on product movement data, insights and customer experience for more 1,000 packaged goods and retail companies and has extensive experience in demand forecasting and analytic solutions. 84.51° wants to expand its work with Kroger and consumer companies.READ MORE

Stars and Stripes Three weeks after most goods were "sequestered" at the commissary at Naval Air Station Sigonella, shoppers are being promised that more food items will be arriving in about a week to shelves that have been partially restocked. Shoppers were unable to buy anything but fresh meat and produce after an Italian bailiff blocked the sale of other goods.READ MORE

New York PostEddie Lampert's latest retail experiment has Kmart employees freaking out. The hedge fund billionaire-cum-Sears Holdings chief executive has started moving Kmart stockroom merchandise onto the sales floor. The move, according to the company, is aimed at freeing up employees to assist shoppers. But the cost-cutting maneuver had at least one immediate, unforeseen side effect: Employees thought the chain was going out of business.READ MORE

NRFWith increases in consumer spending expected to remain solid during the remainder of the year, the National Retail Federation said retail sales for 2016 are now expected to grow 3.4 percent over last year rather than the 3.1 percent forecast earlier. READ MORE

Retail Info Systems NewsNothing is more valuable to a retailer looking to build and maintain a loyal and profitable customer base than its brand. In fact, as consumers continue to change the way they shop, having a strong brand image that is synonymous with your offerings can often make or break a retailer. For the past 25 years Tenet has been tracking nearly 1,000 different companies across 50 industries to develop the benchmark data for its CoreBrand Index.READ MORE

NRFThe team at J.C. Penney was geared up for battle — and survival was the only option. Struggling since 2012, the company was staring down the barrel of Holiday 2014 with a lack of tech competence. J.C. Penney was solvent, but nothing had happened in the digital arena in almost three years.READ MORE

By Danielle Manley
Retailers now have the task of selling to consumers who don't "seem to enjoy purchasing things," according to Fast Company. In the past, people enjoyed purchasing luxury items. Buying luxury items in and of itself was the experience shoppers desired. However, this has become "boring" and doesn't bring the excitement today's consumer desires. What do consumers want? What will make them your customer? Give them an experience.READ MORE

Convenience Store NewsConvenience stores are no longer a place to pick up packaged snacks and beverages, with foodservice programs tacked on as an afterthought. C-stores are now a foodservice destination. Industry retailers have been saying this for years, but the last 12 months proved it beyond a doubt, according to the 2016 Convenience Store News Foodservice Study.READ MORE

CSP7-Eleven Inc. has partnered with Comcast, which is offering a new payment option for customers who prefer to pay their TV, internet or phone bills with cash. Through a partnership with PayNearMe, Comcast has launched a new feature on the Xfinity My Account app that enables customers to pay their bills using cash at more than 7,700 participating 7-Eleven convenience stores.READ MORE

Convenience Store NewsGone are the days when snacking was seen as a one-dimensional indulgence, consumed in the wee hours of the night. Nowadays, snacking occurs across all dayparts, but there is one daypart in particular that consumers indulge in most: p.m. snacking.READ MORE

The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)After abandoning a small-store strategy to compete with dollar and convenience stores, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has sold off a raft of its failed locations to Dollar General Corp.READ MORE

Convenience Store DecisionsThe "Summary of High Octane, Mid-Level Ethanol Blends Study," a scientific analysis, which showed the numerous benefits of using high octane mid-level ethanol blends in future optimized engines, was recently released by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge, Argonne and National Renewable Energy Laboratories.READ MORE

PRNewswire-USNewswire via KQCW-TVTickets for the 19th annual Fleet Week Coronado Speed Festival are on sale now at www.fleetweeksandiego.org. Come out to Naval Air Station North Island for vintage auto racing at its finest, Sept. 17-18. The festival is one of San Diego's most successful fundraisers for the military and offers a variety of pulse-quickening events.READ MORE

Ho'okeleJoint Base Morale, Welfare and Recreation will hold upcoming events for adults and children. For more information visit www.greatlifehawaii.com or subscribe to MWR's digital magazine Great Life Hawaii.READ MORE

Savanah Morning NewsMilitary families flocked to the CAIR and Back to School Fair recently at Hunter Army Airfield to learn about resources and get stocked up on supplies. The CAIR — or Community Activities, Information, Registration — fair is in its third year.READ MORE